FG select prominent anti-wind farm campaigner for local elections

Andrew Duncan approached by party

A leading midland anti-wind farm advocate has been selected to contest the local elections for Fine Gael.

Auctioneer Andrew Duncan was approached by the party and asked to run in the Mullingar-Kilbeggan electoral area in Co Westmeath.

Mr Duncan came to prominence in his role as spokesman for the Lakeland Windfarm Information Group (LWIG).

While he has never canvassed for the party, Mr Duncan has been a member of Fine Gael for four years.

He believes the Government is continuing the previous administration’s energy policy and wants a debate on the issue.

“The best thing we can do is work through the party system that is there,” he said.

Mr Duncan is opposed to current pylon plans and believes a new energy policy is needed. “They [pylons and wind farms] are intrinsically linked, absolutely no distinction, you don’t need one without the other,” he said.

He claimed recent polls conducted by wind-farm opponents show opposition in his area at 90 to 93 per cent. “This is a huge issue down here and I don’t think they [the Government] have really grasped the level of opposition,” he said.

Sitting councillor Colm Arthur, who has previously spoken in favour of wind farms, failed to secure a nomination. He declined to comment yesterday.